Co-op Live: Peter Kay says new Manchester arena's latest delay is 'very disappointing'
The stadium complex in Manchester City includes an arena.
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The opening of Manchester's recently built Co-op Live Arena has been rescheduled to May as it is still not fully prepared to welcome visitors.
The largest indoor arena in the UK had already pushed back the start of comedian Peter Kay's performances, which were scheduled for earlier this week.
Gary Roden, the manager of Co-op Live, stepped down from his position on Thursday following a string of issues.
The location stated that they require additional time to run safety communication trials. Kay expressed his disbelief at the recent postponement, finding it highly disheartening.
His performances have been rescheduled for the coming month, along with a concert by The Black Keys, an American rock band that was supposed to take place on Saturday, April 27th.
Kay expressed regret once more, as the Co-op Live venue is not yet prepared for a sizable audience and has yet to undergo testing. As a result, she must delay her two upcoming performances once again, which she finds difficult to believe.
He said, "Although it's disappointing, your safety is a top priority and I won't put it at risk."
The blog section was sourced from PA Media's images.
The performances of Peter Kay at the location were delayed.
When Kay posted on social media, he announced to all that he's going to launch "Europe's largest brand-new stadium" and he'll be the "inaugural performer to hit the stage at Manchester Co-op Live."
Following the second delay, he playfully modified his statement to express his desire to ultimately put on a show at Europe's newest and grandest venue* - with a footnote indicating that this would only materialize "if the place ever sees the light of day".
Following a delay in the schedule, it was announced that he has become the ninth artist globally to perform at Co-op Live.
He will be appearing on May 23rd and 24th, while The Black Keys have been rescheduled to May 15th.
"Need To Work Harder"
The most recent setback is another disappointment for the venue, which was forced to call off many tickets for a trial event featuring Rick Astley as the main act the previous weekend.
According to the statement released by the venue, they have had to push back the live performances at Co-op Live that were scheduled for this week and have been conducting thorough tests of essential processes to guarantee that all aspects are in order for the fans.
In order to guarantee the safety of all our attendees, we unfortunately had to make the tough call to postpone the scheduled performances of The Black Keys and Peter Kay. Thankfully, both artists have kindly agreed to reschedule their shows for a later date.
The announcement persists: "We hold a great deal of gratitude for how this will affect enthusiastic supporters and we express genuine remorse for the trouble this modification will indubitably generate.
We have decided to postpone the performances of Peter Kay and The Black Keys for a later date to conduct more rigorous testing on our emergency communication system. This is very important to meet the strict guidelines and protocols for a venue of this size. Our main concern is the safety of all individuals involved in the event, including fans, artists, and staff. By postponing, we will have extra time to ensure that everyone has the safest experience possible.
A statement made together by Manchester City Council and the emergency services backed up the decision to postpone the event. They expressed their agreement that more work needed to be done to ensure the safety of the audience before the venue could be opened.
Although we sympathize with the frustration this may cause, we cannot make any concessions when it comes to ensuring the safety of the general public, according to their statement.
The announcement included the information that there are a few things left to be completed before the project is finished. These things include testing the emergency services communication system, completing some internal security systems, and ensuring fire safety measures are in place.
The project is moving forward rapidly in each of these aspects, and all parties involved are excited about the prospect of opening the facility and being able to safely greet visitors once all the work is finished.
The venue, which can hold up to 23,500 people, is scheduled to open next week with a performance by American rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie. This will be followed by the first two shows of Olivia Rodrigo's UK tour.
The venue has announced that they will be happy to have supporters attend Co-op Live for Boogie Wit Da Hoodie's event on May 1st and for Olivia Rodrigo's event on May 3rd, 2024. They want everyone to feel welcome!
Harry Styles Invests In Businesses
In the upcoming weeks, several famous celebrities such as Take That, Keane, Elbow, Eric Clapton, and Barry Manilow are scheduled to perform at that particular location.
One of the individuals who has invested in the venue located beside Manchester City's Etihad Stadium is Harry Styles.
The stadium was constructed by the City Football Group, which is owned by Sheikh Mansour, a wealthy royal from the UAE who is also the deputy prime minister. Irving Azoff, a music mogul from the US, co-founded Oakview Music Group (OVG) which also had a hand in building the arena.
The Co-op Group is sponsoring it, and a representative expressed their disappointment about the postponed opening of the venue. They also acknowledge that this has caused a lot of inconvenience to ticket holders, many of which are Co-op Members.
The Co-op Live is an amazing location that brings positivity not only to Manchester, but also to the entire region and the UK. We are excited to witness the venue's complete opening within the specified timeframe, as announced by OVG today.
